Generator/electric motor, in particular for wind power plants, cable controlled plants or for hydraulic plants

Abstract

A segmented electric generator/motor, such as for a wind powered generator, in which the rotor and/or stator is subdivided in the circumferential direction into segments disposed adjacent to one another. Additionally, the stator segments are accessible via and the rotor segments can be installed and removed in the axial direction in rotor segment mounts provided in the rotor ring. Each rotor segment preferably includes a base shaped to prevent radial and circumferential or tangential motion of the rotor segment while permitting axial motion in the rotor segment's respective mount. The rotor ring segment mounts are preferably sized to allow removal of stator segments through the openings.

1. A wind power plant or a traction cable plant electric generator/motor comprising:
 an annular stator; 
 an annular hollow rotor facing the stator and configured to rotate with respect to the stator; and 
 a plurality of respective generator elements, each generator element comprising at least one permanent magnet and at least one winding, said generator elements disposed on respective opposing faces of the stator and of the rotor; 
 the annular hollow rotor being subdivided in the circumferential direction into a plurality of rotor segments disposed adjacent to one another, each of the rotor segments configured to move in the axial direction to facilitate installation of the generator element of said rotor segment, removal of the generator element of said rotor segment, and maintenance of the generator element of the rotor segments and to provide access to at least one component mounted on the stator. 
 
     
     
       2. The electric generator/motor of  claim 1  wherein the annular hollow rotor further comprises a rotor ring in which the rotor segments are mounted. 
     
     
       3. The electric generator/motor of  claim 2  wherein the rotor ring comprises a rotor segment mount for each rotor segment, the mount comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart edges extending axially from an end of the rotor ring to an end wall of the mount. 
     
     
       4. The electric generator/motor of  claim 3  wherein each rotor segment has a base shaped to: (i) restrain the rotor segment against circumferential and radial movement and (ii) enable axial movement of the rotor segment. 
     
     
       5. The electric generator/motor of  claim 3  wherein the annular stator comprises a plurality of circumferential stator segments sized to fit through the rotor segment mounts when a respective rotor segment is axially moved out of its mount in the rotor ring. 
     
     
       6. A wind power plant or a traction cable plant segmented electric generator/motor comprising:
 an annular hollow rotor carrying a first group of generator elements, the generator elements comprising one of at least one magnetic field generator and at least one winding; and 
 an annular stator carrying a second group of generator elements facing the first group of generator elements; 
 the annular hollow rotor including a rotor ring and a plurality of circumferential rotor segments, each rotor segment carrying at least one of the generator elements of the first group of generator elements, the rotor segments being mounted adiacent one another on the rotor ring, wherein the rotor ring comprises a segment mount for each rotor segment, the segment mount including a plurality of axially extending circumferentially spaced apart side walls between an end of the rotor ring and a circumferentially extending end wall of the segment mount, the segment mount configured to allow axial installation and removal of a respective rotor segment. 
 
     
     
       7. The segmented electric generator/motor of  claim 6  wherein the rotor is mounted within the stator and the rotor segment mounts provide access to the second group of generator elements carried on the stator when respective rotor segments are absent. 
     
     
       8. A wind power plant or a traction cable plant segmented electric generator/motor comprising:
 an annular hollow rotor carrying a first group of generator elements, the generator elements comprising one of at least one magnetic field generator and at least one winding; and 
 an annular stator carrying a second group of generator elements facing the first group of generator elements; 
 the annular hollow rotor including a rotor ring and a plurality of circumferential rotor segments, each rotor segment carrying at least one of the generator elements of the first group of generator elements, the rotor segments being mounted adjacent one another on the rotor ring, wherein each rotor segment further comprises a base configured to engage a respective segment mount in the rotor ring to prevent radial and tangential movement of the rotor segment and permit axial movement of the rotor segment. 
 
     
     
       9. The segmented electric generator/motor of  claim 8  wherein the base comprises grooves on a plurality of sides thereof which correspond to the edges of the segment mount. 
     
     
       10. A wind power plant or a traction cable segmented electric generator/motor comprising:
 a plurality of circumferential segments each carrying at least one first generator element; 
 one of an annular stator and an annular hollow rotor including a ring configured to support the plurality of circumferential segments; 
 a plurality of second generator elements on the other of the annular stator and the annular hollow rotor, said second generator elements arranged to face the first generator elements; and 
 a plurality of segment mounts in the ring, each segment mount supporting a respective one of the circumferential segments. 
 
     
     
       11. The segmented electric generator/motor of  claim 10  wherein the rotor is mounted within the stator and the ring is a rotor ring. 
     
     
       12. The segmented electric generator/motor of  claim 10  comprising another plurality of circumferential segments each carrying at least one of the second generator elements. 
     
     
       13. The segmented electric generator/motor of  claim 10  wherein the stator is mounted within the rotor and the ring is a stator ring. 
     
     
       14. The segmented electric generator/motor of  claim 10  wherein the ring is part of an inner surface of the rotor and the stator so that removal of a circumferential segment provides access to an inner surface of the outer of the rotor and the stator. 
     
     
       15. The segmented electric generator/motor of  claim 14  wherein the outer of the rotor and the stator comprises another plurality of circumferential segments that are each configured to be removed through a segment mount of the ring when a respective segment of the inner of the rotor and the stator is absent from its mount.